Podcasts about water conservation district

The three-year transition to certified organic farming can present a formidable challenge for farmers. A whole community working together can make the process smoother. In this second episode, Elizabeth "Liz" McMullen and Garland Mason of Organic Valley Cooperative (OV) share how the company and its farm membership nourish a whole community perspective to benefit existing farmer member-owners and reduce obstacles for farmers who are curious about organic production and joining the cooperative as members.  Liz and Garland state that OV regional pool managers can talk with farmers about the certification process, requirements, and specific on-farm organic practices. Liz and Garland also advise reaching out to neighboring OV farmers in your state who have gone through the process.Organic Valley's Rootstock blog provides glimpses into the day-to-day on-farm work routines and the values, practices, and experiences that inform organic farming as a business and build a whole community. To learn more about Organic Valley's commitment to cooperation, sustainability, soil health, and thriving farms and communities, please visit https://www.organicvalley.coop/  As always, we encourage you to cooperate with other farmers and follow the four core soil health principles: 1) Keep the Soil Covered -- Cover crops are our friends; 2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage in your field or garden as much as possible; 3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity and life in the soil; and 4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation and/or livestock integration. Yes, soil health is a great conversation starter because we can all be 4 The Soil and for the future! To enjoy recent 4 The Soil blog posts and additional soil health resources, please visit https://www.4thesoil.org/blog and https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices and outdoor educational activities for youth, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.  

Shawnee Sheehan with the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District joined the Noon Ag Show to discuss upcoming events and conservation considerations heading into summer.

Public Relations Specialist Elizabeth McMullen and Sustainability Funding and Communications Specialist Garland Mason of Organic Valley Cooperative join Mary and Eric to share about the common ties that are essential to the farmer-owned cooperative. Cooperation and a strong commitment to the sustainability of small and mid-size family farms, local culture, and community are the most basic ties. In this episode, Elizabeth and Garland outline the history of Organic Valley and how the business started as a vegetable cooperative in 1988 and now has over 1,500 dairy farmer-member owners in 29 states with an average herd size of 70 cows per farm. Preserving small family farms was an impetus for Organic Valley's start. In carrying that mission forward, Organic Valley assists farmer member-owners to be sustainable and profitable through on-farm practices such as solar, composting, solid and liquid separation of manure, reduced tillage, and nutrition management to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and gas emissions. Most recently, OV farmers have experimented with Agolin Naturu, which is an organic certified enteric feed supplement made of essential oils of coriander, clove, and carrot that results in better fermentation, digestibility, and less burping.To learn more about Organic Valley's commitment to cooperation, sustainability, and soil health, please visit https://www.organicvalley.coop/  The website also provides recipes and a searchable database of Organic Valley farms near you.As always, we encourage you to cooperate with other farmers and follow the four core soil health principles: 1) Keep the Soil Covered -- Cover crops are our friends; 2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage in your field or garden as much as possible; 3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity and life in the soil; and 4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation and/or livestock integration. Yes, soil health is a great conversation starter because we can all be 4 The Soil and for the future! To enjoy recent 4 The Soil blog posts and additional soil health resources, please visit https://www.4thesoil.org/blog and https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices and outdoor educational activities for youth, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.  

Wilson County residents have been recognized by the Texas Conservation Awards Program sponsored by the Wilson County Soil and Water Conservation District, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, and the Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Awards were presented May 6 at the Area 3 Awards Banquet in Cuero. Honorees include Stockdale Junior High School teacher Jenna Cotter, named 2025 Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Teacher of the Year. She earned the honor after being named Area 3 Conservation Teacher of the Year. (See page 10A.) Wilson County Soil and Water Conservation District was named Area...Article Link

On this week’s edition of Meet Cortland County X101’s Mike Eves is joined by Brandan Aschmutat of the Cortland Soil and Water Conservation District and Doug Withey, the founder of[Read More...] The post 2025 Cortland County Water Festival is Coming up on June 7th appeared first on X101 Always Classic - WXHC.com.

Farmers talking with farmers is key to building soil health, encouraging innovation, and expanding peer-to-peer mentoring. Anthony Beery of Beery Farms and Cumberland Hay and Straw LLC shares his journey of learning, mentoring, and on-farm experimenting with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee. In the previous episode, Anthony talked about how he benefitted from his father's counsel and encouragement. Anthony provides similar mentorship to his children and fellow farmers through the Virginia No-Till Alliance (VANTAGE) and Virginia's Integrated Cropland Agronomy (ICA) program so others can generate new ideas and enjoy success.  Like the majority of farmers, Anthony is constantly learning and gleaning new information through his on-farm experiments with no-till farming, multispecies cover cropping, composting, and observing the soil and plant ecosystem. As a self-described general gleaner, Anthony recommends talking with other farmers, attending conferences like the Annual VANTAGE No-Till Conference, and reading books and publications available through USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) and agricultural partners. In Anthony's work with multi-species cover crops, he uses Green Cover Seeds' SmartMix Calculator as one of his reference tools.    As always, we encourage you to talk with other farmer mentors and follow the four principles of soil health: 1) Keep the Soil Covered -- Cover crops are our friends; 2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage in your field or garden as much as possible; 3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity and life in the soil; and 4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation and/or livestock integration. Yes, soil health is a great conversation starter since we can all be 4 The Soil! To enjoy the recent 4 The Soil blog posts and We Are 4 the Soil song created by the Flip Charts, please visit https://www.4thesoil.org/blog and  https://www.4thesoil.org/#we-are-4-the-soil-video. For questions about soil and water conservation practices and outdoor educational activities for youth, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.  

Soil health is attainable. Anthony Beery of Beery Farms and Cumberland Hay and Straw LLC shares that message with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee based on his farming experience and journey. Anthony grew up in the Shenandoah Valley where he and his father Danny raised dairy cows and poultry. Anthony benefitted from his father's mentorship and encouragement to be open to new ideas and experimenting.Anthony and his family moved to Cumberland County in 2018 to begin custom crop production and start Cumberland Hay & Straw LLC. Anthony received the 2024 Carl Luebben Soil Health and Water Quality Award at the Virginia Farm-to-Table Conference for his commitment, example, and mentorship of other farmers.  If you are just starting your soil health journey, Anthony emphasizes taking a step and starting with the basics: learn the soil type and previous land use, test for nutrient content and pH, and understand the areas where nutrients are low and high. For Anthony, soil compaction was a limiting factor on his farm that started his commitment to earnest no-till farming, experimenting with diverse cover crop rotations, and continued devotion to core principles of soil health. As always, we encourage you to start your soil health journey and follow the four principles of soil health: 1) Keep the Soil Covered -- Cover crops are our friends; 2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage in your field or garden as much as possible; 3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity and life in the soil; and 4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation and/or livestock integration. Yes, soil health is attainable and we can all be 4 The Soil! To enjoy the recent We Are 4 the Soil song created by the Flip Charts, please visit   https://www.4thesoil.org/#we-are-4-the-soil-video. For questions about soil and water conservation practices and outdoor educational activities for youth, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.  

Send us a textMeet Samuel -- U.S. Government Professor at Valencia College, Chair of the Orange County Soil & Water Conservation District, and Candidate for Orlando City Council District 3 Commissioner. Whether it's doing a volunteer cleanup, advocating for fair wages and affordable housing, or teaching college courses; Samuel is always finding ways of serving. Mister Rogers said, “look for the helpers” and I think you'll find that Samuel can easily be counted as one of them.https://chambersfororlando.comhttps://linktr.ee/helloapgdpod

Candidates for Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District, Atascosa County Jonathan Fluitt Wes Shahan Candidates' Forum submissions that responded by the April 16 deadline are shown below with their answers to the following questions. •What makes you the best-qualified person for this role? •What are the three biggest challenges/ issues facing your city/school district/water district (whichever applies to you) in the next four years? How do you propose to meet these? How will your experience help you address them? Wes Shahan My name is Wes Shahan, and I am running for a Director position with the Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District....Article Link

As the Bird Flu is taking out flocks throughout the state and corn growers are feeling the pinch of an escalating trade war, demand for corn in the bins and about to be put in the ground is looking challenging. Tadd Nicholson, executive director of Ohio Corn & Wheat, sits down in this episode with Jim Chakeres, executive vice president of the Ohio Poultry Association. Jim has an outlook on the poultry industry that you're going to want to hear.  Also on this episode of Kernels, Luke Crumley, Director of Public Policy and Sustainability, reminds you to enroll in H2Ohio at your local Soil and Water Conservation District. Complete the economic outlook survey: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sv/t6S1h71    About Ohio Corn & Wheat Ohio Corn & Wheat works to create opportunities for long-term Ohio corn and small grain grower profitability. It is a strategic alliance of two checkoffs and one membership-based organization. The Ohio Corn Checkoff and Ohio Small Grains Checkoff work to develop and expand markets, fund research and provide education about corn and wheat, respectively. The Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association is a membership organization advocating for supportive public policy on behalf of its farmer members.  For more information, please visit www.ohiocornandwheat.org. 

In this episode, Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens continues the conversation about permaculture and the ins and outs of compost tea with Mary Sketch Bryant, Marian Dalke, and Jeff Ishee. Nicky received two USDA-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Producer Grants to specifically research the benefits of compost tea and its effects on plant growth, yield, soil biology diversity, and the stability of soil health. Nicky's research question was does compost tea make certain leafy vegetables grow bigger or not?To read the Permaculture Gardens blog and other resources about soil regeneration, compost tea, permaculture, and growing food yourself, please visit https://www.permaculturegardens.org/Bill Mollison's books Introduction to Permaculture and Permaculture: A Designer's Manual are available online or through your local independent bookstore. Information about USDA-Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education's (SARE) grant programs and their free publications are accessible at https://southern.sare.org/To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices and outdoor educational activities for youth, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement at https://www.4thesoil.org/ and follow the four principles of soil health: 1) Keep the Soil Covered -- Cover crops are our friends; 2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage in your field or garden as much as possible; 3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity and life in the soil; and 4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation and/or livestock integration. And please share your stories of how you are regenerating soil on your farm, in your garden, or backyard. Yes, we can all cheer "for" soil and be 4 The Soil!

Nicky Schauder and her family started Permaculture Gardens to make permaculture and growing food accessible to everyone - especially families and children. Nicky shares her story and experience with learning, researching, and growing food with Mary Sketch Bryant, Marian Dalke, and Jeff Ishee. Nicky is constantly learning by experiment. Nicky is a two-time recipient of USDA-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Producer Grants for Research and Experimentation with permaculture and compost tea.Permaculture Gardens' Grow-It-Yourself (GIY) program stems from Nicky's learning, experimentation, and efforts to debunk the idea that growing food is neither accessible nor possible. The Live Plant Your Pantry Challenge started this week March 31 - April 5 and can be joined at https://www.permaculturegardens.org/plant-your-pantry-challenge.To read the Permaculture Gardens blog and other resources about soil regeneration, compost tea, permaculture, and growing food yourself, please visit https://www.permaculturegardens.org/To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices and outdoor educational activities for youth, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and share your stories of how you are regenerating soil on your farm, in your garden, or backyard. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

Nicole Shuman is a community agriculturalist educator at Cornerstone Farm at Fairfield Middle School in Henrico County, VA. Nicole shares that education is the first and foremost goal of Cornerstone Farm. As a functioning farm, students and the school community learn what and how food is grown, while also gaining hands-on knowledge and experience growing food for a farmstand cost-effectively. Nicole outlined the big picture and how the farm provides additional service learning opportunities and a place to learn about sound nutrition, environmental sustainability, food security, and ways to contribute to the community in tangible ways.To learn more about Cornerstone Farm and the context of the agricultural learning program at Fairfield Middle School, please visit https://henricogives.org/cornerstone-farm-a-context-for-authentic-learning/The video Nicole Shuman created about cover crops when Nicole worked as an extension agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension is accessible at https://www.facebook.com/VCEGoochland/videos/cover-crops/576420333030946/  The recent 4 The Soil blog post featuring the Soil for Water video series can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/post/farmers-ranchers-and-creatives-behind-the-soil-for-water-case-studiesTo learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices and outdoor educational activities for youth, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and share your stories of how you are building soil health on your farm, in your garden, or backyard. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

Shawnee Sheehan with Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District and Cathy Froelich with NRCS discuss upcoming conservation deadlines and events.

Context is foundational to authentic, experiential learning, and understanding how to build soil health within a landscape context. Hands-on educational activities and programs help students of all ages better understand the context and real-life application of learning objectives, principles, and practices. Nicole Shuman is a community agriculturalist with Henrico County Public Schools. Nicole shares her experience with Mary, Jeff, and Eric and how she became interested in soil health and agricultural education work, Nicole specifically talks about her community agriculture work at Cornerstone Farm at Fairfield Middle School and how the farm helps get the students outside and gives them hands-on experiences.Nicole offered the Soil Your Undies experiment and demonstration as one activity that provides context and experiential learning in a variety of settings on the farm. A 4 The Soil blog post that describes and further explains the Soil Your Undies activity and experiment can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/post/featured-resource-soil-your-undies-challenge  To learn more about Cornerstone Farm and the context of the agricultural learning program at Fairfield Middle School, please visit https://henricogives.org/cornerstone-farm-a-context-for-authentic-learning/ To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices and outdoor educational activities for youth, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and share your stories and the context of your agricultural and soil health work on your farm, in your garden, or backyard. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

The Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley team was honored to meet with Joel DuBois who is the Executive Director at Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District (GCSWCD), as well as chairman of the Greene County Planning Board. and a board member at the Greene Land Trust. There are 58 Soil and Water Conservation Districts across New York State. Each is focused on an individual county's specific needs. They are all dedicated to the best management of natural resources. Greene County is located in southeastern NY and is home to the northernmost Catskill high peaks and is bordered on the east by the Hudson River. The GCSWCD has been in existence since 1961. Since its inception, they have developed a diverse conservation program to address local needs, and assist landowners, local municipalities, as well as state and federal agencies in their conservation efforts. One of their focus areas is watershed management, including both policy and programs. A watershed can be defined as the area or land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins or seas. As Greene County (along with Schoharie County) is home to New York City's drinking water supply that serves 9 million people, managing water quality is of prime importance. The watershed is the largest unfiltered water system in the country so maintaining the health of the system saves the expense of building an expensive water filtration system. The only treatment NYC's water receives is some ultraviolet light exposure. So the Soil and Water Conservation district spends a lot of time reducing any turbidity (cloudiness) of the water typically due to glacial lake clay. Other causes of turbidity include flooding or long term channel migration. The network of roots from the forest trees along the watershed areas helps to stabilize the soil and becomes a natural filter for the water. But stream water quality is also a focus where they install buffer initiatives. For example, with the landowner's permission, GCSWCD will plant native trees and shrubs in fallow fields up to 300 feet away from a stream. GCSWCD typically plants over 3,000 trees each year, but they sell another 4,000 annually at their bare root plant sale as a public service. Trees can be ordered in late winter and picked up around Earth Day in April. They come in bundles of 10. Compost, fertilizer, and tree tubes (to protect the seedlings from deer browse) can also be ordered for pickup during the annual sale. The GCSWCD can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and offers volunteer opportunities to interested residents. Listen in to the good work that is being done to help the entire community today and into the future. Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas Guest: Joel Dubois Photo By: Tim Kennelty Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Deven Connelly, Teresa Golden, Taly Hahn, Tim Kennelty, Amy Meadow, Xandra Powers, Annie Scibienski, Robin Smith, Jean Thomas Resources

They say, “You can't fight city hall.” Well, young David Calhoun is. In the small town of Vernonia Oregon, David is on a quest to reduce light pollution in and around the town. His focus so far has been on the main street, where they have switched to 5000K LED's. Even from his home in the woods 3 miles out of town he can see the sky glow growing. Once David becomes a state senator, which Michael Colligan is sure will happen one day, he can take the fight state-wide and save ALL of Oregon from Light Pollution! Michael Calhoun is an environmental activist from Vernonia Oregon. He currently is Board Chair of the Columbia Soil & Water Conservation District.

Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley of Green Heffa Farms is someone who does not take health and wellness for granted but actively seeks to catalyze and cultivate wellness from the soil up. Farmer Cee is the founding CEO and owner of Green Heffa Farms, a black woman-owned Certified B Corporation, wellness brand, and herb farm based in North Carolina. Farmer Cee believes everyone can start on a path to wellness with care of the soil beneath their feet. In this episode, Farmer Cee shared with Mary, Jeff, and Eric what Green Heffa Farms does to care for the land, stay strategically competitive, promote transparency, and harness the power of nature and plants. Farmer Cee's values-based approach to farming includes working towards better health outcomes, less stress on people and the planet, more sustainable businesses, and healthier soil for everyone.  To learn more about Farmer Cee and Green Heffa Farms, please visit https://www.greenheffafarms.com/farmer-cee. The “We Are 4 the Soil” song and video created by the FlipCharts and Social Impact Studios that Jeff mentioned  is available on the 4theSoil.org homepage at https://www.4thesoil.org/#we-are-4-the-soil-videoAdditionally, the recent blog post about Mr. Elisha Barnes of Pop Son Farm and his single-origin redskin peanuts that he specially grows for Hubbard Peanut Company can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/post/a-shocking-history-and-future-with-elisha-barnes-of-pop-son-farm To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and share your stories and photos of how you are honoring the land and soil on your farm, in your garden, or backyard. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

Resource conservationist Shawnee Sheehan shares upcoming events and programs with the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Defying obstacles, honoring the land, and giving voice to sustainability and business ethics requires commitment and dedication to a vision. Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley is a visionary entrepreneur, farmer, herbalist, and advocate for ethical business and sustainable living. Known affectionately as "Farmer Cee," she is the founding CEO of Green Heffa Farms, a wellness brand and herb farm that celebrates the power of nature to heal and nourish. Beyond her work as an executive, farmer, and herbalist, Farmer Cee is also a passionate educator and community leader. Her farm has achieved the distinction of becoming the nation's premier Black-owned farm to earn the Certified B Corp credential, a significant recognition denoting Green Heffa Fams' commitment to social and environmental responsibility.Farmer Cee shared with Mary, Jeff, and Eric the obstacles she has defied and about caring for the planet's well-being, honoring the land, being devoted to prosperity and entrepreneurship, giving support to the least supported, and bringing more voices to conversations around sustainability and ethical living.  To learn more about Farmer Cee and Green Heffa Farms, please visit https://www.greenheffafarms.com/farmer-cee. For more information and lists of certified B corporations, please visit B Lab Global at https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and share your stories and photos of how you are honoring the land and soil on your farm, in your garden, or backyard. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

Understanding context and establishing baselines are critical for developing systematic approaches to change for the right reasons. Rick Clark of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting is a fifth-generation farmer who farms 6,000 plus acres of certified organic crops in Warren County, Indiana. In addition to cash, oilseed, and cover crops, Rick raises cattle and sheep using his system of regenerative organic stewardship with no tillage. Through the years, Rick has worked to reduce synthetic inputs on his farm and focused on the return on the investment of any input and how that affects overall profitability.In talking with Mary, Jeff, and Eric, Rick is adamant that farmers need to understand their context (i.e., geographic, financial, emotional, etc.) and establish sound baselines for every aspect of the farm operation. Regenerative agriculture is a journey and not a destination: you have to start slowly, keep working at it, and plan accordingly.  Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. For additional thoughts and resources from Rick Clark on regenerative organic no-till farming, please visit https://www.farmgreen.land/. Other resource people that Rick mentioned included Gabe Brown of Brown's Ranch and John Kempf of the Regenerative Agriculture podcast. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. As always, we encourage you in your commitment to building soil health; understanding the context of your farm, garden, and community; and joining the 4 The Soil movement. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

United Water Conservation District v. United States

Building soil health and finding system balance requires commitment, fortitude, adaptability, and working with Mother Nature. Rick Clark of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting is a fifth-generation farmer in Warren County, Indiana. Rick farms corn, soybeans, wheat, milo, cover crops, small grains, and other oilseed crops using regenerative organic no-till methods and systems thinking on all his acreage. Rick refers to his system as regenerative organic stewardship with no tillage. Rick was a guest speaker at the recent Profitable Soil Health Field Day held in Franklin County, Virginia.In talking with Mary, Jeff, and Eric about his experience and organic no-till journey, Rick emphasizes the need for early success with cover cropping and soil health-building practices, particularly when people are shifting farming systems and paradigms. Rick warns that with current volatile input costs and low cash crop prices, this is not a time to be a hero but to start slowly and wisely. However, Rick also states: "If you're not uncomfortable with what you're doing, then you're not trying hard enough to change."Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. For additional thoughts and resources from Rick Clark on regenerative organic no-till farming, please visit https://www.farmgreen.land/.To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. As always, we encourage you in your commitment to building soil health; finding system balance on your farm, in your garden, and community; and joining the 4 The Soil movement. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

Our conversation with Maureen McNamara Best and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle on regional food system development and networks continues this week with a specific focus on food as medicine. Maureen McNamara Best is the executive director of LEAP (Local Environmental Agriculture Project) and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle is the director of the Roanoke Foodshed Network. In this episode, Maureen and Mo discuss educational and community outreach programs that connect to soil health and medical approaches to healing and prevention of diet-related illnesses. Maureen shares about the Virginia Fresh Match program and LEAP's Kids Bucks program. These two programs are aimed at promoting healthy people and healthy children. Mo reflected on her time coordinating the Pharmacy Garden for the New River Valley Health District. Taste, flavor, dignity, choice, and access, along with diversified agriculture and active community engagement, are important ingredients to food as medicine programs.Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. The three educational resources that Maureen and Mo referenced included Civil Eats magazine, Ken Meter's Building Community Food Webs, and Adrienne Maree Brown's Emergent Strategy.To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and do your part to build soil health on your farm, in your garden, or community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

What does a regional food system network look like? Maureen McNamara Best is the executive director of LEAP (Local Environmental Agriculture Project) and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle is the director of the Roanoke Foodshed Network. Maureen and Mo provide a perspective lens into food system relationships and community collaborations emerging and developing in the Roanoke region of Virginia. Maureen shares that stories and relationships are critical in coming together; community and farm connections must be visible and more tangible. Mo offered that food system networks also require good soil health to cultivate change, where choice, dignity, equity, and values are encouraged and practiced individually and collectively. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about LEAP and their community collaboration with the Roanoke Foodshed Network, please visit https://www.leapforlocalfood.org/ and https://www.roanokefoodshednetwork.org/To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and do your part to build soil health on your farm, in your garden, or community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

Nate Sloan, executive chef and owner of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar in Roanoke, Virginia shares with Jeff, Mary, and Eric how restaurants can be a conduit of flavor, sustainability, health, and food security.  Nate grew up on his parents' farm in Franklin County, Virginia and these roots inspired his vision as a restaurateur and commitment to local farms and food entrepreneurs. Nate has worked in restaurants across the country and understands the importance of flavor and ingredient quality. Nate encourages everyone to have a conversation with farmers and explore their curiosity and what excites them about food and farming. Similarly, the importance of place, regionalism, and soil health comes through in flavor and taste so needs to be nurtured and celebrated.  Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Nate Sloan has been named to the 40 under 40 list by Roanoker Magazine and has received multiple awards as an executive chef and restaurant owner. Nate is extremely grateful for the community's support of Bloom Restaurant & Wine Bar through the years. Learn more at bloomrke.com. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and do your part to build soil health on your farm, in your garden, or community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

Listen as Linda and Kayla discuss the Wilkes Soil and Water Conservation District

In this episode, we journey from soil to plate with Nate Sloan, the visionary owner and executive chef of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar in Roanoke, Virginia.  Nate speaks with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt about his journey from his roots in farming in Franklin County, Virginia to being a restaurateur committed to farm-to-table production. Nate has worked in restaurants across the country and understands the importance of flavor and ingredient quality. Nate sees the deep connections between food, soil health, eating well, and being in community, and he shares that we all can make choices to support our local foodshed.Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Nate Sloan has been named to the 40 under 40 list by the Roanoke and has received multiple awards as a chef and restaurant owner. Learn more about Bloom Restaurant & Wine Bar at bloomrke.com. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and do your part to build soil health on your farm, in your garden, or community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

Are you interested in community collaboration and finding your agroecological voice and lens? Nicole Masters, founder of Integrity Soils and author of For the Love of Soil, discusses how an agroecological lens is used to view entire farm systems and value human dynamics with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt. Nicole has a love and fascination with soil but understands the risks involved with farming and starting new approaches to regenerating landscapes. Nicole highlights how "Biological Barbecues" were used in New Zealand to allow men and women to share their ideas and hear about emerging innovations in a comfortable environment while questioning existing dogma. Nicole emphasizes starting small and building soil health well because it just makes sense.Nicole will be a keynote speaker and trainer at the 2024 Virginia Farm-to-Table Conference in December and will present about agroecological leadership and resilience. Nicole will provide training and insight on the novel agroecological education methods and systems thinking she has practiced throughout Australasia, the United Kingdom, and North America in helping people align their dreams with their landscapes and contexts.Tune in wherever you get your podcasts.More information about Nicole Masters and Integrity Soils is available at https://integritysoils.com/ along with links to how to order and obtain Nicole's book For the Love of Soil. Nicole also recommended John Kempf's Regenerative Agriculture podcast as a continuing education resource. The Regenerative Agriculture podcast can be accessed at https://regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com/To learn about the 2024 Virginia Farm to Table Conference and to register to attend, please use the following link: https://tinyurl.com/2024VAF2TConfRegistration. Visit Virginia Cooperative Extension's website to learn about other educational programs, resources, and events. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and do your part to build soil health on your farm, in your garden, or community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.  

We're joined by Charles "Big Angry" Adams to give us some of his craziest stories from his time as a lawyer, his takes on the attacks on "misinformation," and what that really means for free speech. Charles provides some legal expertise on what's really happening with the immigration issue plaguing the country. 72-year-old former Patriots coach Bill Belichick was recently spotted with his 24-year-old girlfriend. Walmart has opened veterinarian and grooming services in five of its stores. A Baltimore teacher is facing charges after using ChatGPT to duplicate his boss' voice and make him appear racist. Every year on Mental Health Awareness day, the WHO reminds us to take care of our mental health. While there's no vaccine for mental health, there are steps you can take to ensure your mental health is stable. We go over a few. A Georgia environmental official collapses and dies near the state Capitol after testifying about a toxic BioLab fire. Kenny Johnson, the Rockdale County Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor, testified alongside business owners and leaders about the BioLab chemical fire in Conyers, about 25 miles outside Atlanta, which spewed clouds of hazardous chlorine gas and smoke throughout the area. Sadly, Michigan comedian and friend of the show Norm Stulz actually did pass away for real this time after a long battle with cancer. GUEST: Charles “Big Angry” Adams Sponsors: CraftCo Flying Aces Buy online at FlyingAcesSpirits.com and use code AMERICA to get free shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we create a love and fascination for the soil to better fit into the landscape? Nicole Masters, founder of Integrity Soils and author of For the Love of Soil, shares with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt how central people are to agroecology. Nicole grew up in New Zealand and developed an early love and fascination with soil. As an agroecologist, educator, systems thinker, and author, Nicole has extensive practical expertise and experiences in regenerative soil and landscape practices and coaching and training the trainers.Nicole will be a keynote speaker at the 2024 Virginia Farm-to-Table Conference in December and will present her love for soil and the foundations of agroecological leadership. Nicole will provide training and insight on the novel agroecological education methods and systems thinking she has practiced throughout Australasia, the United Kingdom, and North America in helping people align their dreams with their landscapes and contexts.Tune in wherever you get your podcasts.More information about Nicole Masters and Integrity Soils is available at https://integritysoils.com/ along with links to how to order and obtain Nicole's book For the Love of Soil.To learn about the 2024 Virginia Farm to Table Conference and to register to attend, please use the following link: https://tinyurl.com/2024VAF2TConfRegistration. Visit Virginia Cooperative Extension's website to learn about other educational programs, resources, and events. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and do your part to build soil health on your farm, in your garden, or community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.  

On this week's podcast we talk with Rowan Steele, farmer, farm advocate, and Manager of the Headwaters Farm Business Incubator Program for the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District. Headwaters Farm is located just east of Portland, Oregon. As manager, Rowan supports experienced, conservation-forward farmers get their farm businesses off the ground. On this podcast we've interviewed several farmers who got their start via incubator farms, so we're excited to hear more about how this concept works from someone who helps manage such a program.The Headwaters Farm Business Incubator Program provides affordable land, infrastructure, and equipment, as well as training and technical assistance to beginning farmers. The goal is to address common barriers, such as access to capital, farm knowledge, networks and markets. The Headwaters Farm is a 60-acre site with irrigated crop land and shared facilities. The conversation covers the five-year program structure, the importance of financial viability, the criteria for selecting program participants, the transition process after graduation, the challenges farmers face today and more. Connect With Guest:Website: https://emswcd.org/farm-incubator/headwaters-farm/Instagram: @emswcd Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Are you interested in improving the water and nutrient-holding capacity of your soil? Have you heard about biochar as a soil amendment? Dr. Wayne Teel of James Madison University has studied and researched biochar for more than 15 years. Wayne discusses the promise and potential of biochar with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee as a follow-up to their conversation about agroforestry. Dr. Teel describes how biochar is formed through a combustion process with little or no oxygen present. Wayne distinguishes between types of biochar and those combusted at high and low temperatures as well as those types that may have nutrients already attached versus simple wood and plant-based materials.Biochar has been used throughout history to improve soil fertility and carbon sequestration. Its first recorded use was by people living in the Amazon River basin.Tune in wherever you get your podcasts.To learn about Dr. Teel's education and research interests, please visit JMU's faculty expert site at https://www.jmu.edu/university-communications/faculty-experts/experts/teel-wayne/index.shtml. If you are learning about biochar, Dr. Teel recommended two books by Albert Bates: The Biochar Solution: Carbon Farming and Climate Change and Burn: Using Fire to Cool the Earth.For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office. You may also be interested in Virginia Cooperative Extension's educational programs and Virginia's Agroforestry Regional Knowledge (ARK) Exchange. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/.As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and do your part to build soil health on your farm, in your garden, or community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.  

Kristin Hall is Executive Director of Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District. She explains the distinctions between natural and urban environments in managing stormwater and the significance of these practices in preventing urban flooding and safeguarding water quality. We also discuss the Sewer District's own Regional Stormwater Management Program, the impact of severe weather events, and the importance of our storage tunnels. Stormwater Awareness Week takes place October 1 - 7 and you can learn more at cuyahogaswcd.org

We all could benefit from reconnecting to soil, land, trees, and where our food comes from and how food is produced. Dr. Wayne Teel is a professor of geography at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He shares with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee how he works with his students at JMU to connect them to a farmer or field experience so the connection is real and tangible. Dr. Teel shares stories of his own experience working on a farm in the Columbia River Basin in Eastern Washington and his international experience working with farmers in Kenya and Mozambique. Wayne discusses and defines agroforestry for us and how managing interactions between plants, trees, and livestock can provide multiple benefits. He encourages farmers and landowners who are interested in agroforestry and practices like a riparian buffer of trees and plants to start small and observe what is naturally in the streamside area.To learn about Dr. Teel's education and research interests, please visit JMU's faculty expert site at https://www.jmu.edu/university-communications/faculty-experts/experts/teel-wayne/index.shtml. Dr. Teel's book "Regenerating the Ecology of Place" is available online and from independent bookstores. For questions about agroforestry and soil and water conservation practices like riparian buffers, call or visit a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office. You may also be interested in Virginia Cooperative Extension's educational programs and Virginia's Agroforestry Regional Knowledge (ARK) Exchange. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/.As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and to reconnect with soil, land, trees, and the farm community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.  

In this episode, we feature Joan Valle, the Chief of Regulatory for the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. With over 20 years of experience in environmental planning, Joan shares her expertise in managing teams and programs related to key environmental regulations such as CEQA, NEPA, and the Clean Water Act. Joan discusses her passion for finding win-win solutions with resource agencies and stakeholders, as well as her active role in lobbying state and federal decision-makers for policies that benefit Riverside County and beyond. She also talks about her involvement with the AEP Legislative Committee and the National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies. Join hosts Jessa and Corinne as they dive into Joan's leadership journey, her career path from environmental analyst to division chief, and her insights into the challenges and rewards of working in flood control and water conservation. Joan also shares her thoughts on the importance of effective environmental laws and policies, and her vision for the future of the environmental profession. Listen in to learn more about Joan's experiences, her favorite projects, and what drives her dedication to protecting communities through innovative environmental solutions.

Do you like to volunteer, dig in the soil, and get your hands dirty? Planting and harvesting vegetables, experimenting with cover crops, and reducing tillage can be great fun as well. Virginia Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and the Fauquier Education Farm offer two tangible ways to volunteer, dig in the soil, get your hands dirty, and give back to the community. Tim Ohlwiler elaborates on how these volunteer-based programs serve as living laboratories where theory and hands-on practice merge for the benefit of participants and communities. Tim is an extension agent for horticulture with Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) in Fauquier County, Virginia. Tim was recognized as a friend of 4-H for his youth educational programming in 2023. Tim helps coordinate the local Master Gardener program and serves on the board of the Fauquier Education Farm. To learn about Virginia Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener, please call your local Virginia Cooperative Extension unit. Enjoy a virtual tour of the Fauquier Education Farm and learn about its programs and ways to support its mission at https://www.fauquiereducationfarm.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation and the protection of natural resources, call or visit a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office near you to learn about education programs, funding opportunities, and the technical assistance offered. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/.As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement through gardening, farming, and volunteering in your community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.  

What are the realities for building soil health in orchards and vineyards? Tree fruit and grapes require different strategies for reducing competition from other woody perennials and weeds. Tension can exist between balancing crop needs and building soil health in orchards and vineyards.  Tim Ohlwiler is an extension agent for horticulture with Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) in Fauquier County, Virginia. Tim works with nurseries, landscapers, orchards, vineyards, small fruit growers, and vegetable growers in the Northern Piedmont Region. In this episode, Tim talks with Jeff, Mary, and Eric about horticultural realities and soil health and how he is working with orchards and vineyards to minimize soil disturbance, while also working to get school children excited and energized about soil science.      For specific follow-up questions for Tim Ohlwiler, his contact information is available at https://fauquier.ext.vt.edu/staff.html If you have questions about building soil health within orchards and vineyards or the benefits of following climate-smart principles in your cropping and farming systems, please visit your local Virginia Cooperative Extension unit, a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office near you. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/.To review the four core soil health principles and access the recent 4 The Soil blog posts that Jeff Ishee referenced, please visit https://www.4thesoil.org/.As always, we would love to learn about your soil health journey and encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.  

Farming and market gardening require continually learning and appropriately managing risks. Robert "Bob" Waring of Brandon Farms in Essex County, Virginia is a proponent of cover crops, soil health, and on-farm research. Bob states he sees the beginning of a movement, particularly as farmers learn from other farmers. He has embraced cover crops, and he consistently maps biomass yields and samples his fields' soil nutrient levels.In testing theories and making observations through the years, Bob has been able to reduce external inputs of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and lime, while increasing yields and return on investments. Bob attributes some of these results to improved biological activity in the soil and restored natural nutrient cycling. In addition, the summer cover crops he plants protect soil moisture, reduce soil temperatures compared to bare ground, and buffer soil pH. If you have questions about building soil health and the benefits of following climate-smart principles in your cropping and farming systems, please visit your local Virginia Cooperative Extension unit, a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office near you. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/.To review the four core soil health principles and access the recent 4 The Soil blog posts that Jeff Ishee referenced, please visit https://www.4thesoil.org/.As always, we would love to learn about your soil health journey and encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement.  

The economics of farming are always tenuous and subject to many market and climatic forces. Robert "Bob" Waring of Brandon Farms of Dunnsville, Virginia describes himself as a return-on-investment (ROI) kind of guy. With the tenuous, volatile nature of farming, Bob is constantly evaluating Brandon Farms' cropping system as a whole and looking for sound input reduction strategies. Over the past fifteen years, Bob has focused on growing his fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and farm profitability through timely cover crop mixtures and management. Hairy vetch and black oats have worked well in his corn and soybean rotations and helped Brandon Farms dramatically reduce fertilizer and pesticide costs. If you are new to cover cropping, Bob recommends finding a legume like clover, cowpeas, or Austrian winter pea that fits in your system as a starting point.American Farmland Trust's Soil Health Case Study of Brandon Farms is accessible at https://farmlandinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/brandon-farms-soil-health-case-study.pdf If you have questions about the economic and climate resilience of your cropping and farming systems, please visit your local Virginia Cooperative Extension unit, a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office near you. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. To access the recent 4 The Soil blog posts that Jeff Ishee referenced, please visit https://www.4thesoil.org/. As always, we would love to hear your experience and perspective on ways you have invested in soil health and what financial and ecological returns you have experienced.      

The Watershed is a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this special episode, we hear from Brittany Lenzmeier and Stephanie Hatzenbihler of Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District. Brittany and Stephanie share about their experiences hosting We Are Water MN. This episode explores: · Interviewee paths to working in water resources · What drew our interviewees to We Are Water MN · Lessons learned while hosting We Are Water MN · Advice for prospective and future host sites · Outcomes from hosting We Are Water MN · Forming lasting partnerships · Beyond hosting We Are Water MN - what did hosting make possible? What hopes remain? Are you interested in bringing We Are Water MN to your community? The deadline for host site applications is July 21, 2024. Learn more and apply at https://www.mnhum.org/get-involved/host-an-exhibit/host-we-are-water-mn/. We Are Water MN is a community engagement initiative and traveling exhibit that builds relationships with and responsibilities to water. This episode of the Watershed was produced by Angela Hugunin, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Brittany Lenzmeier and Stephanie Hatzenbihler of Stearns County SWCD for their time willingness to share. https://www.stearnscountyswcd.net/wawmn   The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted in Chisago County from June 20 through August 12, 2024. The main exhibit will be at the North Branch Area Library, with additional indoor exhibits on view at the Chisago County History Center. Lindstrom Memorial Park will have an outdoor display. After Chisago County, the exhibit will move to Cass Lake (Leech Lake Tribal College), and Shakopee (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Chisago County's hosting of the exhibit, plus related events, at https://www.chisagocountymn.gov/1349/We-Are-Water-MN-Exhibit---June-20-to-Aug. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (⁠https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/⁠), Instagram (⁠https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/⁠), and Twitter (⁠https://twitter.com/wearewatermn⁠). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times and Paper Feather by Blue Dot Sessions (⁠www.sessions.blue⁠). 

Send us a Text Message.YMGP went on "on the road" today... we visited the Lucas Soil and Water Conservation District offices to discuss what they do and to find out about an event they are in charge of. So, if you are close by, plan on making a day trip to Holland, Ohio for the Lucas County Farm Connection, on July 20th, 2024.https://www.lucasswcd.org/lcfc24.htmlBlack Diamond Garden CentersWelcome Black Diamond Nursery & Lawn Service. We been a local business in Toledo for over 70 years!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.Black Diamond Garden Centers; Toledo, Perrysburg and now Waterville Ohio!https://blackdiamondgrows.com/Please visit our Facebook and Instagram links!https://www.facebook.com/yourmidwestgardenpodcast@yourmidwestgardenpodcastHave a show topic, send us a message or call 567-343-1349 and leave an old fashion voice message!

On this week's program, your host, Justin Mog, puts down his shovel to catch up with the Urban Ag Coalition (https://foodinneighborhoods.org/grow/), one of Forward Radio's proud Community Partners! Listen in as we get our hands dirty and get down in the weeds with some amazing urban growers here in Louisville: 
 1. Sara Beth Sammons is Supervisor for the Jefferson Co. Soil & Water Conservation District, and a landscape architect & urban homesteader; 2. Mark Robbins is a Farmer with Sacred Earth Community Garden; a member of the Louisville Urban League Farm Cohort; and maker of delicious juices; 3. Tevon Terry is also a Farmer with Sacred Earth Community Garden; but he also works for Change Today, Change Tomorrow; and a member of the Rural-Urban Exchange; and 4. Bethany Pratt is an urban farmer; a Local Food System Specialist with UK Extension; and a berry and chicken enthusiast We ask this amazing panel of growers what it takes to be an “urban farmer” and what are some of the challenges facing urban farming in Louisville? We also discuss FSA services & getting a farm number for your property; what are some of your favorite things to grow?; and what are some resources in town to support urban agriculture. Tune in, also, for a quick peek at the The People's Summit on Food Systems and Urban Agriculture: Food Vision 2030, coming up on Friday & Saturday, August 16-17 and Friday, September 13th, hosted by Food in Neighborhoods. The program includes local food justice tours on Friday (8/16) and Saturday (8/17), each of which involve a volunteer agricultural work component in the morning, a group lunch, and an additional site visit in the afternoon. The tours will raise awareness about local success stories with building grassroots solutions to food insecurity and food apartheid, opening space for inspiration, networking, popular education, and skill sharing among participants. The People's Summit culminates in a full day of participatory conference proceedings on Friday, September 13, which will include general plenary sessions, a variety of thematic workshops, and informal spaces for art and dialogue with sponsors. Learn more and register now at https://foodinneighborhoods.org/peoples-summit/ We also learn about the new West End Farmers Market, hosted by Change Today, Change Tomorrow. It is biweekly on Sundays from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, May 19th through September 8th, in Parkland at 25th and Date Street, and the next one is coming up this Sunday, July14th! As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW! Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at http://forwardradio.org The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at http://appalatin.com

Liz Anderson from Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Matt Santo from the 1854 Treaty Authority join Forest North to talk about Aquatic Invasive Species in our area waters and how to help stop their spread. Steve Robertson returns to talk about the arrival of summer on the Superior National Forest and some of the new baby critters making their appearance in the Northwoods.Time Stamps:(1:27) Liz Anderson and Matt Santo(36:00) Steve RobertsonShow Notes:Lake County AIS ProgramProject page for the spiny waterflea researchProject page for the rusty crayfish and wild rice researchMinnesota DNR's AIS homepage1854 Treaty Authority website

Carolyn Harding with Jenny Morgan, Anton Krieger, and Dr. Julie Weatherington-Rice, producers of the upcoming Sunday, June 2, Central Ohio Concert Book-Tour Event: FrackStock w/ Justin Nobel. Jenny Morgan is a singer/songwriter and an environmental public health activist from Columbus, Ohio. Jenny's songs have been used for independent documentaries, for nature programs, in school classrooms, at political rallies and more. Along with being a singer/songwriter, Jenny is also a preschool teacher and founder of The Leave No Child Inside Central Ohio Collaborative and Citizen Pollution Watch. She also sits on the steering team of Save Ohio Parks, and is a long time member of the Ohio Brine Task Force, a group working to ban radioactive gas and oil deicers and dust suppressants from our Ohio roads. Anton Krieger started as an environmental justice organizer at Buckeye Environmental Network in 2021 and manages the oil & gas waste program. He received his Master of Public Administration from Cleveland State University with a dual specialization in economic development and city management. He serves as the secretary on the Board of Supervisors for Cuyahoga County's Soil and Water Conservation District. Dr. Julie Weatherington-Rice is the Sr. Scientist for the local engineering firm of Bennett & Williams who specialize in the installation and management of public water supplies and the protection of our water, soil and air. She hold a BSEdu in Earth Science Education, a MS in Geology and PhD in Soil Science, all from Ohio State. Dr. Julie Weatherington-Rice has a deep and wide knowledge of the geology of Central Ohio, the effects of the oil & gas industry on our region, and Ohio's regulatory system as it pertains to both. She has been an invaluable guide and resource to many organizations working to protect Ohio's water, air and soil. On Sunday, June 2, FrackStock w/ Justin Nobel takes Place. It's advertised as A night of Love, Justin and Music. What is FrackStock? Where? Why? Justin Nobel's (environmental journalist) 2020 RollingStone magazine story, “America's Radioactive Secret,” won an award for longform writing with the National Association of Science Writers and inspired his newly released book, Petroleum-238: Big Oil's Dangerous Secret and the Grassroots Fight to Stop It. Justin's writing has helped lead to lawsuits, public dialogue and been taught at Harvard's School of Public Health. Sign Up for Your Free Ticket/s HERE: https://events.humanitix.com/frackstock-w-justin-nobel Find Out More about Justin Nobel HERE: https://petroleum-238.blogspot.com/ Producers and Sponsors: GrassRoot Ohio: facebook.com/GrassRootOhio/ Buckeye Environmental Network: benohio.org Jenny Morgan Music: jennymorganmusic.com First Universalist Unitarian Church of Columbus: firstuucolumbus.org Columbus Community Rights Network: ColumbusBillofRights.org Save Ohio Parks: saveohioparks.org Third Act Ohio: ThirdActOhio.org Ohio Brine Task Force: ohbrinetaskforce.org GrassRoot Ohio - Conversations with everyday people working on important issues, here in Columbus and all around Ohio. Every Friday 5:00pm, EST on 94.1FM & streaming worldwide @ WGRN.org, Sundays at 2:00pm EST on 92.7/98.3 FM and streams @ WCRSFM.org, and Sundays at 4:00pm EST, at 107.1 FM, Wheeling/Moundsville WV on WEJP-LP FM. Contact Us if you would like GrassRoot Ohio on your local station. Face Book: www.facebook.com/GrassRootOhio/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/grassroot_ohio/ SoundCloud! @user-42674753 Apple Podcast: podcasts.apple.com/.../grassroot-ohio/id1522559085 YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCAX2t1Z7_qae803BzDF4PtQ/ Intro and Exit music for GrassRoot Ohio is "Resilient" by Rising Appalachia: youtu.be/tx17RvPMaQ8 There's a time to listen and learn, a time to organize and strategize, And a time to Stand Up/ Fight Back!

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we dig into conservation practices that protect soil and water. Interviewee Don Tschida, whose family farm will become a century farm in 2025, explores questions surrounding the responsibility of caring for land and water. He shares the conservation practices he and his family have implemented on their farm in Agram Township. We Are Water MN will be hosted by Mississippi River – Sartell Watershed partners including Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in spring of 2024. You can visit the exhibit at Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail, in Holdingford, from April 25 through June 17. Learn more at https://www.stearnscountyswcd.net/wawmn. This episode of the Watershed was produced by Angela Hugunin, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Holdingford. Thank you to Don Tschida, our interviewee for this episode. Don Tschida and his family are enrolled in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, a unique opportunity for farmers to take the lead in implementing conservation practices that protect our state's lakes, rivers, and streams. Learn more at MyLandMyLegacy.com.    You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (⁠https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/⁠), Instagram (⁠https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/⁠), and Twitter (⁠https://twitter.com/wearewatermn⁠). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times and Drone Pine by Blue Dot Sessions (⁠www.sessions.blue⁠).  You can learn more about We Are Water MN and upcoming host sites at mnhum.org/water.

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we explore the role of water in the grieving process. Can we shift the way we think about tears? What effect does proximity to water have on the human mind, body, and spirit? Today's guest, AnnElise Bergstrom, is uniquely situated to guide us through these questions. Tune in to hear takeaways from her experiences facilitating grief support groups, as well as her own personal connection with water. We Are Water MN will be hosted by Mississippi River - Sartell Watershed partners including Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in spring of 2024. You can visit the exhibit at Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail, in Holdingford, from April 25 through June 17. Learn more at https://www.stearnscountyswcd.net/wawmn. This episode of the Watershed was produced by Angela Hugunin, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Holdingford. Thank you to AnnElise Bergstrom, our interviewee for this episode. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (⁠https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/⁠), Instagram (⁠https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/⁠), and Twitter (⁠https://twitter.com/wearewatermn⁠). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times and Warm Fingers by Blue Dot Sessions (⁠www.sessions.blue⁠).  Other resources mentioned in this episode: AnnElise references a quotation by Clarissa Pinkola Estés on the role of tears. A quote by Isak Dinesen is also mentioned: “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.” This 2019 article gives an overview of some of the blue space studies cited in this episode: Blue spaces: why time spent near water is the secret of happiness | Health & wellbeing | The Guardian You can learn more about We Are Water MN and upcoming host sites at ⁠mnhum.org/water⁠.

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we dive into the world of storm drains. What do storm drains do, and why do they matter? How can we protect them? In this episode, we will deepen our understanding of stormwater and storm drains. We will learn about one organization (Adopt-a-drain) leading storm drain protection efforts in an awesome way in Minnesota and beyond. We'll hear from three storytellers—Shafay Williams, Demar Ballard, and Sarah Drake—who are mobilizing to protect storm drains through their artwork and community outreach. Tune in for a blend of background information, inspiration, and practical tips you can use to protect storm drains. The video “Clean Water Begins at Your Curb” was shared in this episode. Thank you to Adopt-a-drain.org, Hamline University's Center for Global Environmental Education, and Twin Cities Public Television for permission to share this audio. You can view the video at https://cgee.hamline.edu/current-initiatives/adopt-a-drain We Are Water MN will be hosted by Mississippi River – Sartell Watershed partners including Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in spring of 2024. You can visit the exhibit at Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail, in Holdingford, from April 25 through June 17. Learn more at https://www.stearnscountyswcd.net/wawmn. Resources mentioned in this episode: · In 2024, Adopt-a-drain will celebrate ten years! You can learn more about their organization and adopt a drain near you at https://adopt-a-drain.org/. Social media: @adoptadrainmn · You can learn more about Sarah Drake, as well as her nonprofit, HerARTS in Action, at https://www.herartsinaction.org/. Social media: @herartsinaction · If you'd like to dive deeper into the world of stormwater, you can consult the Minnesota Stormwater Manual: https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php?title=About_the_Minnesota_Stormwater_Manual This episode of the Watershed was produced by Angela Hugunin, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Holdingford. Thank you to Leah Lemm, who interviewed Sarah Drake. Thank you to Shafay Williams, Demar Ballard, and Sarah Drake, our interviewees for this episode. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (⁠https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/⁠), Instagram (⁠https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/⁠), and Twitter (⁠https://twitter.com/wearewatermn⁠). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times, Beignet, and Glass Beads by Blue Dot Sessions (⁠www.sessions.blue⁠).  You can learn more about We Are Water MN and upcoming host sites at ⁠mnhum.org/water⁠.

Garrett McCarey speaks with Nate Woodworth about the Soil & Water events happening this Spring including the annual plant sale, used tire pick up, and the Envirothon. For additional information google Rensselaer County Soil & Water Conservation District or call 518-271-1740 Ext. 3.

Oversalt much? A conversation with Amy Roskilly of Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District and Natalie Gertz-Young of Lake Soil & Water Conservation District on road salt use and overuse, and the impacts to our water resources.The NEORSD supports our local Soil and Water Conservation Districts that participate in educational outreach related to water quality, stormwater management, and watershed management. These agencies offer stormwater-compliance services to communities and lead conservation actions. Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation DistrictLake Soil & Water Conservation  District